In 2002, Cardinal Saws and Blades, of Conshohocken PA, developed a patented arbor for their own concrete cutting equipment that just happens to fit the arbor of a Soff-Cut saw. The invention was a gift to the flatwork concrete industry because it finally allowed a legitimate second source of early entry diamond blades into the market that was previously dominated by Soff-Cut International. Cardinal’s entry into this market triggered a series of lawsuits and legal motions by Soff-Cut in an attempt to intimidate and financially cripple their new competitor. To those in the industry familiar with Soff-Cut and the diamond blade industry, this reaction from Soff-Cut was expected since they had become known as the bully of the marketplace.

Years have passed since the conflict started between Cardinal and Soff-Cut. Soff-Cut has since been sold to equipment mogul Husqvarna. Lucky for us, Cardinal’s patent was allowed to stand and Soff-Cut was handed one of its first legal defeats. The gemstone (or diamond) shaped arbor, which allows it to be used on a Cardinal or Soff-Cut saw, is a trademark for the Cardinal blades. They named their new diamond blade product line “Uppercut” after the upward cutting motion of their diamond blade and with reference to a solid “blow” their patent had on the market stronghold that Soff-Cut had previously ruled with an iron fist.

Cardinal has showed time after time that the Uppercut diamond products are more than a me-too product. Sure, they have been able to develop a matching color coordinated product line with identical blade diameters, segment widths and bond hardness. However, Cardinal has been able to surpass Soff-Cut in blade quality, life and cost. The superior diamond assemblage used in the Uppercut blades make them 20% longer lasting than equivalent Soff-Cut products. And, Cardinal is able to deliver this higher performing product at a cost at least 20% below that of the Soff-Cut pricing.

We at SoffCutSaw.com have been a strong supporter of Cardinal for many years. We have been a distributor of their products and have used their products. We can attest to their value. To celebrate the impact Cardinal has made to our market, we are selling our entire inventory of standard thickness Uppercut Diamond Blades at deeply discounted pricing.

Early in the development of the early entry control joint cutting method, field personnel realized that concrete breaking occurs where two cut lines crossed – at the joint. If control joint cutting is not done at the proper time, the green concrete is too fragile and doesn’t have the tensile strength for the cross cut to be performed. The problem was resolved when someone had the idea of folding up a business card and jamming it into the first cut prior to the completion of the cross cut.

Thereafter, corrugated paper (cardboard) was placed at the cross cut. Contractors would find a cardboard box on the job site and have a laborer rip or cut it into small pieces so they could later shove it into the cross cut area of the control joint. This worked, but it was labor intensive. And, as cardboard thicknesses vary, this option was not consistent enough to become a standard practice. One thing led to another, and soon Soff-Cut began selling ½” x 2” cardboard joint protectors in packages of 150. They had two thicknesses: one size for the 0.100” width blade and another for the 0.120” blades.

One problem with cardboard is that it can absorb water. If the cardboard joint protector was placed in a crack too far ahead of the cross cutting action, it ran the risk of taking on moisture and losing the compression that it applied to the inside of the existing joint. It is this compressive force that keeps the green concrete in place (and from cracking) while the cross cutting action is taking place.

Thank God for plastic!! Corrugated plastic was found to be a better material for the joint protector. Like corrugated cardboard, it can be compressed and wants to rebound to the original shape. However, corrugated plastic, such as Coroplast, has better rebound in damp applications like green concrete cutting. Soff-Cut changed the design of the joint protector from cardboard to plastic. They decided on using a 3mm thick corrugated plastic for the 0.110 inch thick blades (5.0” to 10” diameter), and 5mm corrugated plastic for the 12’ and 13.5” standard blades. To differentiate the two sizes, Soff-Cut printed their logo in red for the 3mm and in blue for the 5mm. Good idea.

New Suppliers Enter the Market

EarlyCut Pro-Cutting Supplies was next into the Joint Protector marketplace with their product called “Brand X”. They manufactured a 3mm and a 4mm ½” x 2” product that came in packages of 144. The 3mm joint protectors were a solid red, while their thicker joint protector was 4mm and came in a solid blue. The 4mm size, used when cutting with 12” and 13.5” diameter blades, was felt to be a better size match. Soff-Cut’s 5mm joint protector had to be physically compressed to get the joint in the cut as the blade thinned with wear.

In the years that followed, other companies followed in bringing joint protectors to the marketplace, such as Cardinal Saws & Blades and Diamond Products. All of these products work well for the intended application. However, my favorite is the “Brand X” joint protector from EarlyCut Supplies. The name is awesome. The product packaging has better quality. The price can’t be beat. These guys are just Rebels!!!

Soff-Cut International is one of many construction equipment companies owned by Husqvarna. Soff-Cut is located in Corona, California and is the manufacturer of a series of early entry concrete saws. Soff-Cut patented a process for cutting control joints, along with a number of aspects of their cutting equipment and diamond tools. One patented feature is the triangular offset hole in their diamond blades. Another patented feature is the skid plate assembly that comes with every new blade.

At Soffcutsaw.com, we have a limited supply of new Soff-Cut brand Excel diamond blades at discount prices. Many of these products are still in the original packaging. As these were purchased from distressed sources, the packaging may not always be perfect and the skid plates may not be available. We even have some slightly used product thrown in here and there. No matter, the blades are sold in lot quantities as shown below.

To purchase, choose the product grouping of your choice. Then, call soffcutsaw.com at 610-882-3630. We take Visa or MasterCard. Review the product and descriptions below and let us know the product you want.

The development of the early entry saw, used for cutting crack control joints, is as important in today’s construction market as is the development of the laser screed and high strength concrete. Today it is common for a 40-50,000 sq. ft floor to be poured in a single day. This is 4 to 5 times the size of a floor that the industry was capable of making thirty years ago. Without these developments we would not be able to place large slabs with the speed or cost that we can today.